"The armed forces have continued to exercise significant political influence via formal and informal mechanisms," the European Union's executive body said in an annual report on Turkey's EU-oriented reform programme.

"Senior members of the armed forces have expressed their opinion on domestic and foreign policy issues going beyond their remit, including on Cyprus, the South East, secularism, political parties and other non-military developments."

The Turkish military has long seen itself as the guarantor of secularism in the mainly-Muslim country and has remained wary about the activities of the ruling Justice and Development Party, which has Islamist roots.

The commission complained that no changes had been made to laws defining the role and duties of the military, or in improving civilian control over the paramilitary police, the gendarmerie.

It said that a protocol allowing military operations to be carried out for internal security matters without a request from the civilian authorities had still not been changed.

Brussels also expressed concern that an internal military memorandum had been leaked to the press, identifying non-governmental organisations that receive financial aid from foreign bodies, including the EU.

"Overall, no progress has been made in ensuring full civilian supervisory functions over the military and parliamentary oversight of defence expenditure," the report said.

Turkey began EU membership talks in October 2005, but its quest to join Europe's rich 27-nation club has been plagued with difficulties, and Ankara is unlikely to sign up for at least a decade.

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